Virginia Tech Hokies - Miami Hurricanes Info

[Skins-Canes-Mounties]

OK, so my name gives it all away, but I am a Canes alum heading to the game on Saturday in Blacksburg. I probably should have asked some questions first, but I called around, got a hotel, and got tickets in a spur of the moment decision this morning!

I've got a few questions about the stadium / Blacksburg if a few Hokies fans don't mind helping out a fellow Skins diehard. I didn't want to put this in the Va Tech Hokies thread because I thought that was more for game discussion. I hope this is the right board.

1) I booked a room at the Hilton Garden Inn in Blacksburg. They tell me I can walk to the stadium. Does that sound right?

2) I'm planning to wear a Portis Miami jersey. Am I going to be attacked??? I don't mind people talking smack - that's what it is all about. I just don't want a Phillthy-style attack!

3) I assume no alcohol sales in the stadium. Is that right?

4) What are the cool bars for Friday and Saturday nights?

5) Most important. I bought tix in Section 25, Row 5H. It is called the Hokie Club. This isn't a student section is it? Where are the student sections?

Thanks! and HAIL TO THE REDSKINS!

[hokie4redskins]

OK, so my name gives it all away, but I am a Canes alum heading to the game on Saturday in Blacksburg. I probably should have asked some questions first, but I called around, got a hotel, and got tickets in a spur of the moment decision this morning!

I've got a few questions about the stadium / Blacksburg if a few Hokies fans don't mind helping out a fellow Skins diehard. I didn't want to put this in the Va Tech Hokies thread because I thought that was more for game discussion. I hope this is the right board.

1) I booked a room at the Hilton Garden Inn in Blacksburg. They tell me I can walk to the stadium. Does that sound right?

2) I'm planning to wear a Portis Miami jersey. Am I going to be attacked??? I don't mind people talking smack - that's what it is all about. I just don't want a Phillthy-style attack!

3) I assume no alcohol sales in the stadium. Is that right?

4) What are the cool bars for Friday and Saturday nights?

5) Most important. I bought tix in Section 25, Row 5H. It is called the Hokie Club. This isn't a student section is it? Where are the student sections?

Thanks! and HAIL TO THE REDSKINS!

1) You can pretty much walk to anywhere in Blacksburg.

2) No. We're not WVU.

3) No alcohol when I was there. Try the smoked turkey legs and a flask.

4) Doesn't matter. It'll be a mad house. But I always liked the Cellar, PKs, and the Hokie House.

5) Student sections are the North Endzone and the east stands opposite from the press box. I believe.

That being said, screw the Canes.

[Toe Jam]

1) You can pretty much walk to anywhere in Blacksburg.

This is one thing I love about that town.

[SkinsHokieFan]

Section 25, from what I recall that is NOT a student section

As for fan behavior in Blacksburg

http://www.huskerextra.com/articles/2009/09/19/football/doc4ab5739178323561209971.txt

Brian Rosenthal: Hokie fans return the favor for Big Red faithful

BLACKSBURG, Va. – I saw some Huskers and Huskies tailgating together nearby Lane Stadium and asked the guy in the maroon shirt for a quick interview. He obliged.

“Before we get started,” he said, “you want a beer?”

Yeah, it’s that kind of hospitality here.

I accepted a bottle of water instead, and listened to Robbie Werth tell me how he first met Ron and Beth Fitzke, who’d flown here from Sutton and were tailgating with Werth.

Werth came to last year’s Virginia Tech game in Lincoln, ran into the Fitzkes at Brewsky’s, and they connected.

“We just started talking about everything,” Werth said. “Politics, agriculture, football.”

They exchanged e-mails, kept in touch and agreed to tailgate when Nebraska visited Blacksburg.

“I’m a Platinum Hokie,” Werth said, explaining his close tailgating spot.

Inviting the Fitzkes and some other Husker fans — including Colton Koehler’s parents — was the least he could do after his experience last season in Lincoln.

“Their fans were unbelievable,” Werth said. “The Nebraska fans set the bar. Everybody here knows that. We’re trying to reciprocate.”

That seemed to be the general sentiment Saturday. I spent about 90 minutes outside the stadium, and the rapport between the fans was refreshing.

This is my ninth year of Husker road trips, and this was by far the friendliest, most hospitable bunch I can remember. No obscenities. No scuffles. And the only finger gesture was one to invite you over for a burger.

“We went around yesterday afternoon and toured the campus, and the kids were fantastic,” Ron Fitzke said. “They were absolutely accommodating. No problems whatsoever.”

We’ll have to savor this and remember the moment when we’re all in Columbia.

Thanks, Hokies.

[Skins-Canes-Mounties]

Awesome. Thanks for the answers. It looks like the student section is in a part of section 25, but the seller claims they are Hokie Club seats. It looks like student seats come in by email in a .pdf, so if I have hard tickets in hand, I am guessing I am OK. Somebody also bought tix in the same section from this guy for the Nebraska game, so it looks legit.

I'm looking forward to bar hopping there. They are big rivals of both of my schools, and I never made the road trip back when I was in school.

[Skins-Canes-Mounties]

Well that is comforting regarding the fans! God knows they don't treat people like that at my other alma mater! haha

[GrapeApe]

If google is right, that's where the old Red Lion Inn was. You can do that walk, but it is a decent hike. The best way is to go down plantation road (away from Prices Fork) until you come to a gravel road on the right (still called plantation), follow that onto campus. At that point, just follow all of the people. Once you see the gravel road you'll see plenty of fans walking to the game from a near by apartment complex.

Look at google map and trace plantation to duck pond road. You'll be able to cut off a large portion of plantation to duck pond. Then stadium. Pretty simple.

[Skins-Canes-Mounties]

OK. Great. We will probably walk unless there is some kind of hotel shuttle closer. Trying to avoid a DUI - we're going to be blitzed!

[Skins-Canes-Mounties]

One more very important question

What time do the bars close?

[skinsngibbs4life]

Was up in blacksburg last weekend for the nebraska game.

First off, you don't have to worry about the fans. There were a TON of Nebraska fans that made the trip, and the atmosphere was GREAt. Nothing more than a couple fans having friendly banter between each other.

There is no alcohol sold in the stadiums (consistent with any other college sporting event). Be very careful about bringing in a flask. While it is very easy to sneak it in, there are tons of cops patrolling, and ive have seen tons of people get thrown out. Maybe thats just because im usually in the student section, but it just seems like they have a lot of security at games.

As for being able to walk everywhere, thats questionable. If I remember garden in is (on prices fork right by campus?), then it is no more than a 30 minute walk. Be careful though, because there are some areas that will easily take up to an hour to walk from.

Like someone else mentioned, downtown will be a madhouse on saturday night. Although, it will be tough to get around, altough, personally, I love the atmosphere when its like that. One of my favorite places to go is sharkies. Bars are most likely open until 2 am.

Have a good time up there. Lane Stadium is one of the better places to catch a game from.

[SkinsHokieFan]

The hotel you are is very walkable to everything.

To head downtown you just need to use the blacksburg transit, which generally on football weekends is free (or practically free at 50 cents a ride)

Bars close at 2. Food is open for a while

I reccomend Alphas Pizzeria for late night eats. Get the chicken steak and cheese

[Skins-Canes-Mounties]

The Hilton Garden Inn is at 900 Plantation Road. Is that near the fork you were talking about?

[Toe Jam]

Make sure you check out as much of the campus as you can while you're there.

Beautiful.

[styx491]

Pretty much everything that's been said here is correct haha.

As for which bars to go to, depending on the outcome of the game you might encounter harsh or happy fellow drinkers downtown. I suggest staying away from bigger bars like TOTS, Sharkeys regardless of what you hear about how cool they are and maybe trying Rivermill (which does get busy, but not so packed) or PK's.

If I saw a Canes fan in a Portis jersey I would love it because its a Portis jersey. There are a **** ton of Cowboys fans here too so watch out for the double whammy.

Alpha is awesome. You can also call the Hooptie if you need a ride back after drankin. You can probably get that phone number from your hotel.

[Skins-Canes-Mounties]

Cool. We are probably going to go back to the hotel and change after the game before the bars, so I will blend in when I'm out later. We'll probably end up bar hopping to try to hit as many places as possible. We will be there later Friday night too to get in a few drinks before things get too crazy on Saturday.

Is there a mad rush getting into the stadium before games (like FedEx??)? I figure we will start in the hotel room and then make our way to the stadium.

Any problem with open containers heading to the stadium on gameday? I've heard over the years that it is a lot like Morgantown and anything goes there on gameday.

[styx491]

Yep, there is a mad rush to get in before the team gets introduced with Enter Sandman. People are trying their mightiest to get in. After kickoff, its cake. If you get to the stadium around 20 min to kickoff, 15 max, you should be totally cool.

And no open containers, you'll need to finish what you have or toss it. They are pretty stingy when it comes to that.

I'll be out Friday night as well, it will probably be just as ridiculous as it will on Saturday. Big game.

[GrapeApe]

The Hilton Garden Inn is at 900 Plantation Road. Is that near the fork you were talking about?

It's not a "fork" but the name of the road is prices fork road. One of the main roads in Blacksburg. But that's where I thought it was.

SHF is right, Blacksburg transit is great. Cheap and easy. You can download their schedule and route online. Perfect if you are going down town. There will be a stop right near your hotel.

[Larry]

I was just noticing, got to give props to Miami scheduling tough non-conference opponents.

Granted, after this stretch, they basically play nobody. But IMO, if they can come through opening the season with FSU, GT, VT, and OU undefeated, then I think they at least deserve being considered for the NCG, even if they don't play anybody for the rest of the year.

(Unfortunately for then, let's face it. The voting in the National Popularity Contests tend to have short memories. They tend to forget ganes that are over a month old.)

[Skins-Canes-Mounties]

Yes. The Canes do a great job of scheduling out of conference. A home-and-home with Oklahoma in 08 and 09, followed by Ohio State in 10-11. The Gators are coming up in 2012 or 13. The will play anybody, anywhere. Maybe one day Notre Dame will stop ducking them and renew the series that they copped out of in the early 90s after we trashed them for a decade!

Va Tech does a great job too (although I'm still a little ticked that they won't play WVU any more) with USC, Nebraska, and Bama in recent years.

I can't stand schools that schedule the likes of Akron and Temple as their nonconference opponents and claim to be a top team (Penn State, Florida). Teams should put their money where their mouths are and play the best. West Virginia has home-and homes against LSU in 10-11 and Florida State in 12-13. They will man up and play people as well. Other teams that I respect for their scheduling are Ohio State, USC, Bama, Oklahoma, Texas, and Florida State. These are truly elite programs.

North Carolina is still ahead this year for the Canes - can't sleep on a Butch Davis-coached team. Plus, there could be the ACC Championship game depending on how the season shapes out. Going to be a big game on Saturday!!!

[Spartacus87]

I feel bad for Blacksburg if the Canes fans are anything at all like the ones that come up to Tallahassee for that game.

Nothing worse than the joker guido Hurricanes fans who never attended Miami, let alone know anybody else who does, that crawl out of South Florida and start fights with everyone in their way. Worst group of "fans" in the ACC, hands down.

[Spartacus87]

I was just noticing, got to give props to Miami scheduling tough non-conference opponents.

Granted, after this stretch, they basically play nobody. But IMO, if they can come through opening the season with FSU, GT, VT, and OU undefeated, then I think they at least deserve being considered for the NCG, even if they don't play anybody for the rest of the year.

FSU, GT, and VT are conference opponents for them.

OU is a good pick up though. Both FSU and Miami play USF this year as well, which I'd like to hear the story behind.

[Skins-Canes-Mounties]

I feel bad for Blacksburg if the Canes fans are anything at all like the ones that come up to Tallahassee for that game.

Nothing worse than the joker guido Hurricanes fans who never attended Miami, let alone know anybody else who does, that crawl out of South Florida and start fights with everyone in their way. Worst group of "fans" in the ACC, hands down.

When I was at Miami, Florida State didn't necessarily send down their best to the Orange Bowl either . . .

[Skins-Canes-Mounties]

So Fla is a quality opponent. They were a preseason favorite for the Big East and have had some big wins over the last few years. Miami's series with So Fla continues for the next several years. With Grothe being hurt now, the game isn't as big, but still a quality opponent. Not nearly the caliber of an OU or an elite program, but solid. We also battle them for recruits. It is important to put a pounding on this up and coming program.

[cjcdaman]

2) No. We're not WVU.

Paging Major...and PB(wait, where has PB been?)

[Spartacus87]

When I was at Miami, Florida State didn't necessarily send down their best to the Orange Bowl either . . .

I'm sure FSU has a share of stupid fans, I wasn't friends with more than a few guys in my time there, particularly with the wannabe-Southern Gentleman, borderline racist, fratty douchebag crowd.

But Miami I think has a bigger load of morons due to the fact that it's a small private university where a lot of the so-called "fans" from down there just like the team because of the "swagger" image they have, being able to hold up "The U" sign and act tough in their cargo camo pants, XXL Hurricanes jersey and spiked, greasy hair in their overall guido look.

I have friends that go to Miami and have met a few pretty cool boosters from there- the actual students or alumni from there aren't the problem. It's the culture of the team that's bred around the area that sucks.

Arguably the worst weekend to be in Tallahassee is when that game is taking place. Your odds of getting blind sided punched in the face go up a ton.